Swiss hockey is good, but not yet the best in Europe. The population base is fairly small, Hc lugano hockey fans dating some teams are located in provincial towns and play in arenas which are far from state-of-the-art. Still, the Swiss league has had the highest average attendance in Europe for the last five seasons.

We try to analyze why this is the case. Europe has six hockey leagues which traditionally average or more fans per game: But if we look at the top six, we can immediately determine that Sweden, Russia, the Czech Republic and Finland are traditionally stronger hockey powers than Switzerland, while Russia and Germany have considerably higher populations.

Of all the nations mentioned above, only Finland has a smaller population than Switzerland. Switzerland is currently ranked seventh in the IIHF World Rankings fifth among European nations which is a reflection of the performance of the national team during the last four-year period. Still, it is the Swiss National League that boasts the best attendance figures in Europe and has done so in six out of the last seven seasons. This not only makes the Swiss league the best draw in Europe, but also the second in the world, of course behind the NHL, which averages around 17, Reigning champion SC Bern has been the best draw in all of Europe for 16 consecutive seasons, each year averaging more than 16, fans.

In last season's playoffs, each game at the PostFinance Arena was a sell-out of 17, — this in a city ofpeople. All of this defies the logic that prevails in other European team sports where quality and population are factors that, to a large degree, define attendance figures in leagues in football, basketball and handball.

As a side note: In an international context this can create some confusion, but we leave this for another day. So what are the reasons that make the Swiss top league — the National League — an anomaly in Europe? Based on own observations and discussions with Hc lugano hockey fans dating in the club and league business, we have defined the following: Sincethe Swiss top league has had 12 teams, with eight making the playoffs quarter-finals while teams placed 9 "Hc lugano hockey fans dating" 12 face relegation.

No other major European league plays so few games. Other comparable Euro leagues play either 52, 56 or game schedules. The schedule, combined with the unforgiving format, contributes to the sense that each game is relevant. A multi-game losing streak may put you in the relegation danger zone, something which Hc lugano hockey fans dating involved want to avoid at any cost, but this sells tickets.

Games on other days are exceptions, and then mainly due to arena unavailability. The set days makes it easy for the fans to circle in dates and plan their visits to the arenas. So the National League has a limit on four non-Swiss players on the ice more foreign players may be under contract, but only four on the game sheet. This works well in two ways:. Most Swiss stars stay: Although the quality of Swiss hockey has improved greatly over the last 10 to 15 years, there are only some 14 Swiss in the NHL.

This means that the majority of Swiss national team players play at home. For example, Hc lugano hockey fans dating season, more than 90! Swedes played in the NHL. Switzerland is not a big country. Away trips are short, and players are home the same night even after the most distant away game.

This means that players are never fatigued from travel see point 12 and this also contributes to extensive fan travel to away games. The most passionate fans consistently watch their team both home and away. Dominant clubs, but many challengers: Sinceonly four clubs have won the Swiss title: Zurich, Bern, Davos and Lugano. These are traditional powerhouses who all the other teams want to beat, which is good for attendance.

It has happened several "Hc lugano hockey fans dating" that the team that wins the regular season is immediately ousted by the 8th placed team in the quarter-finals.

Historic and regional rivalries: Hockey is about rivalries and nowhere is this such a factor as in Switzerland, where local pride and local characteristics are very Hc lugano hockey fans dating. Ambri-Piotta, both from the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino.

And then you have all the rivalries over the linguistic borders. Needless to say, this is good for business. The game is played where Hc lugano hockey fans dating game was born: Against all odds, professional hockey thrives in places where there are really no conditions for pro sports in the modern era. These are basically villages, small towns at best. Davos, home of time national champion and Spengler Cup organizer, has a population of 10, Langnau, where the SCL Tigers come from, has 9, inhabitants, while you need a very good map to find the twin villages of Ambri and Piotta, which have a combined population of around people.

But that pro hockey can survive in Hc lugano hockey fans dating places is a testament to the strong tradition and genuine roots of Swiss hockey. Football is not a killer: As opposed to hockey in Germany, Great Britain and also to an extent in Russia, Sweden and the Czech Republic, football is not considered as serious competition.

Yes, football is big and popular, but hockey holds its own in the Alpine country and during the winter season it is the number-one team sport. There is a healthy consensus in Swiss hockey.

The two top leagues are run by the national governing body Hc lugano hockey fans dating Ice Hockey. You can basically consider the National League and Swiss League Hc lugano hockey fans dating one league, divided into two divisions based on quality.

There is also a healthy turnover of clubs being promoted and relegated between the two leagues.

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During the modern era of Swiss hockey, clubs like Geneva, Lausanne, Biel and Langnau have all been promoted from the second-tier league.

Maybe this should be listed first but we present it last. The Swiss league is a fun league to watch. Maybe it is because the Swiss players are not as tactically schooled as the Swedes or the Finns. Think Hc lugano hockey fans dating to the last Olympics in Sochi in Most observers concluded that, although of top quality, the Olympic tournament was not a great spectacle. And if you are a young player like Auston Matthews and you want to go there to develop, you must be an exceptional talent like Matthews to take a spot and succeed.

So, does the Swiss National League have problems?

The set days makes it...

Of course it does. Any Swiss club executive would tell you that making ends meet is a daily struggle. The biggest challenge is player salaries, especially for domestic players of national team quality.

As Switzerland does not yet develop as many top-class youngsters as other top nations, their salaries soar. Having said that, player Hc lugano hockey fans dating has become a priority for many Swiss club today, clubs "Hc lugano hockey fans dating" earlier mostly relied on imports.

Also, the infrastructure of some arenas is not what you would associate with a country where more or less everything else is top notch, but several clubs are in a process of building new arenas.

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But other than that, t he Swiss National League is doing pretty well. This works well Hc lugano hockey fans dating two ways: You cannot afford to fail with a signing of a Canadian, American, Swede or Finn. As a result of this, the quality of foreign players in the Swiss league is high and they are also well compensated.

This limitation guarantees that 17 players on each team on any given night are Swiss, which obviously is good for Swiss hockey as a whole. The set days makes it easy for the fans to circle in dates and plan their four clubs have won the Swiss title: Zurich, Bern, Davos and Lugano.

But as the hockey teams ZSC and HC Lugano are arch enemies, it could happen that fans would recognize each other from a hockey fight and. Main · Videos; Hc lugano hockey fans dating. Under the compress for unrestricted excitement, intervals than intervals are oddly oddly according for underweight. "Hc lugano hockey fans dating"